Ring of Fire (Northern Ontario) facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The Ring of Fire is a huge mining project planned for Northern Ontario, Canada. It's named after the famous Johnny Cash song! This area, called the James Bay Lowlands, is full of valuable minerals like chromite, which is used to make stainless steel.

This big project could bring many jobs and economic growth to the region. However, it also affects nine First Nations communities who live on the land. Companies planning to mine here must work with these communities and agree on how the project will benefit them. The Ring of Fire is located near McFaulds Lake, about 400 kilometres (250 mi) northeast of Thunder Bay.

By 2020, the Ring of Fire was known as one of Ontario's largest potential mineral areas. It covers about 1.5 million hectares, with many mining companies exploring the land. Leaders have called it a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" for jobs and prosperity in Northern Ontario.

However, developing the Ring of Fire faces challenges. The area is very remote, meaning it's hard to get to. There aren't enough roads, railways, electricity, or internet connections. Also, the rights of the First Nations communities and environmental concerns in the Hudson Bay Lowlands, which is the world's third-largest wetland, are very important.

The main company with mining claims in the Ring of Fire is Noront Resources Ltd. They have found palladium, nickel, platinum, and copper at a site called Eagle's Nest. They also have large deposits of chromite.

What is the Ring of Fire Project?
Getting Minerals Out: Transportation Plans
Protecting the Environment
First Nations and the Ring of Fire
Noront Resources and Wyloo Metals
Royalties from Mining
See also

What is the Ring of Fire Project?

The Ring of Fire project aims to dig up valuable minerals from the ground. In 2012, a company called Cliffs Natural Resources planned to invest $3.3 billion to build a chromite mine, a way to transport the minerals, and a processing plant in Sudbury, Ontario. This project was expected to create thousands of jobs.

However, Cliffs Natural Resources later put their plans on hold. This was because of delays and tough talks with the Ontario government and the First Nations communities. Eventually, Cliffs sold its mining rights to Noront Resources Ltd.

The Ontario government sees the Ring of Fire as a key place for "critical minerals." These are minerals needed for new technologies and green energy, like electric vehicles. The government is working with First Nations to build a "corridor to prosperity," which means building roads to the Ring of Fire region.

Getting Minerals Out: Transportation Plans

Getting minerals out of the remote Ring of Fire area is a big challenge. Companies have explored different ways to build access routes.

One idea was to build a railway instead of a road. A company called KWG Resources studied this in 2013. They found that a railway might be better for moving large amounts of minerals. KWG even claimed land to build a railway from the Ring of Fire to the CN Rail line near Nakina, Ontario.

In 2016, engineers from China visited the area with KWG to look at a possible railway route. China uses a lot of ferrochrome, which is made from chromite. The study suggested a route through the traditional land of the Marten Falls First Nation was possible.

KWG also wanted to work closely with First Nations communities like Marten Falls First Nation to develop the project. They even asked the Ontario government for a billion-dollar guarantee to help get funding from Chinese lenders.

In 2017, the Ontario Premier, Kathleen Wynne, promised to support building an all-year road from Nibinamik and Webequie First Nations to Ontario Highway 599. This road would also help reach the Ring of Fire.

Later, KWG suggested creating a "James Bay & Lowlands Transportation Authority." This would be like an airport or port authority, but for transporting minerals. The idea was to move minerals from the Ring of Fire to Sault Ste. Marie, where there's already a port and rail line.

By 2019, the Ontario government decided to focus on working directly with individual First Nations communities. They wanted to build roads that would not only help mining but also connect remote communities to the provincial power grid and modern internet. Marten Falls First Nation and Noront Resources welcomed this plan.

In 2020, the Ontario government signed an agreement with Marten Falls First Nation and Webequie First Nation. This agreement supports building all-season roads and moving forward with the Ring of Fire projects.

By late 2021, it was reported that about 450 kilometers of new roads would be needed. These roads would connect many remote First Nation communities, which currently can only be reached by air, to Ontario's highway system. The government has offered $1.6 billion for these roads.

The Marten Falls First Nation and Webequie First Nation are leading the environmental studies for their proposed road projects.

Protecting the Environment

Before any mining can happen, companies must complete environmental assessments. These studies check how the mining projects might affect the environment. Both the Canadian federal government and the Ontario provincial government started these assessments in 2011.

The Ring of Fire area is part of the Hudson Bay Lowlands, which is the world's third-largest wetland. Two-thirds of this area is peatland, which stores a huge amount of carbon. This region also helps filter Ontario's air. So, protecting this environment is a major concern.

For example, Noront Resources' Eagle's Nest Project plans to use a buried pipeline to move minerals. Even with new safety features, there are worries about potential leaks and how the pipeline might change the natural water flow and plant life in the wetlands.

Noront Resources says their mine will be designed to be very environmentally friendly. They plan to keep all waste materials underground and recycle all the water used in their processing plant.

First Nations and the Ring of Fire

The Ring of Fire project is located on the traditional lands of several First Nations communities. According to Canadian law, companies must negotiate agreements with these communities to ensure they benefit from the mining projects.

The three First Nations most affected are Marten Falls First Nation, Webequie First Nation, and Neskantaga First Nation. Other nearby communities also have an interest.

In 2011, the Matawa Chiefs, who represent nine First Nations, asked for a joint environmental assessment. They wanted to make sure their voices were heard in the process. They even removed their support for the project until the federal government agreed to a review process that included them.

In 2012, Webequie First Nation and the Ontario government signed an agreement to work together. This agreement aimed to help the community get involved and benefit from the project.

It's important to know that many of the First Nations communities in the Ring of Fire area face social and economic challenges. They often lack access to good education and other services. This can make it harder for them to fully participate in large, complex projects like the Ring of Fire.

The First Nations are interested in the long-term benefits that the project's infrastructure could bring. This includes all-weather roads, connections to the power grid, and high-speed internet. These improvements could greatly help their communities.

In 2014, the Matawa First Nations and the Ontario government reached a "regional-framework agreement." This agreement was meant to set the rules for how future projects in the Ring of Fire would be handled. It was seen as a way for the government and Indigenous communities to work together on big resource projects.

However, in 2019, the Ontario government announced it was ending this agreement. They said it was too complicated and slow. Instead, they wanted to work on individual agreements with each community.

Noront Resources and Wyloo Metals

Noront Resources is a key company in the Ring of Fire. In 2007, they found a large deposit of platinum, palladium, nickel, and copper at their Eagle's Nest Project.

In 2021, an Australian company called Wyloo Metals announced it wanted to buy Noront Resources. Wyloo Metals is very interested in minerals like nickel because they are needed for electric vehicles and batteries.

In March 2022, Noront Resources shareholders approved the sale to Wyloo Metals for $616.9 million. Wyloo Metals plans to invest $25 million to study building battery materials in Ontario. They also aim to sign $100 million in contracts with Indigenous communities, creating jobs and training for Indigenous workers.

Royalties from Mining

Mining projects can generate money for governments through royalties. For example, the De Beers Victor Diamond Mine in Ontario collected $226 million in royalties by 2013-2014. These royalties are payments made to the government for the right to extract minerals. The Ring of Fire project is expected to generate similar royalties, which can then be used to fund public services.